SATELLITE & CABLE: BBC lifting Asia profile to attract ad dollars

<p>BBC World is gearing up to build a higher profile in the region, </p><p>with an eye on growing international advertising opportunities. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Asia business is very vibrant and dynamic, and we have many </p><p>opportunities to build the advertising revenue further," said BBC World </p><p>director of airtime sales Jonathan Howlett. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>After lying low during the past few years, the BBC is substantially </p><p>increasing its regional marketing activities in a bid to strengthen the </p><p>six- year old network's proposition and value. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It's not enough just to have the product (news channel), but we also </p><p>need to have marketing and branding activities to support (the brand) if </p><p>you have competitors like CNN," noted Mr Howlett. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The channel will be more actively participating in trade marketing </p><p>activities, offering more below-the-line and airtime advertising </p><p>opportunities to marketers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In addition to the Hong Kong and Singapore offices, the BBC has </p><p>currently set up sales representation in Thailand and Korea and a Tokyo </p><p>office as well. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Reaching 16.2 million homes in 14 countries across Asia and the Middle </p><p>East, the BBC's key target audiences are affluent and business decision </p><p>makers in the region. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>China and the US are the two countries where the BBC has yet to </p><p>penetrate in a systematic manner, but plans to launch a full channel </p><p>service in the US is underway. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In Taiwan, the BBC has signed a five-year distribution deal with Mega </p><p>Media Broadcasting Network on both the cable and DTH platform, with a </p><p>Chinese subtitle service. The pact with Mega Media complements the BBC's </p><p>existing deal with Pacific Digital Media, which also offers DTH </p><p>distribution in Taiwan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As advertising is the main revenue for the BBC in Asia, Mr Howlett said </p><p>the network opts to get as much distribution as possible on the DTH, </p><p>cable and hotel platforms as well. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Hotel distribution is essential to BBC World, with the target being </p><p>frequent business travellers across the region, according to Mr </p><p>Howlett. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"There are so many people travelling in Asia; even in markets where we </p><p>have limited distribution, we can still reach a good proportion of our </p><p>target audiences," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The BBC moved its advertising team in-house from Star TV last year </p><p>because the network wanted to sell its advertising proposition and value </p><p>more directly to the clients, said Mr Howlett. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The benefit of having the advertising and marketing team in-house is </p><p>that the channel can now handle and understand existing and potential </p><p>advertising opportunities more directly and clearly. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In addition to conventional airtime sales, Mr Howlett said the BBC will </p><p>offer marketers more integrated marketing packages, combining both </p><p>on-the-ground and on-air promotion opportunities. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, BBC World is not allowed to accept any sponsorship on its </p><p>current affairs or news programmes. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With 60 advertisers on board, Mr Howlett said the BBC's advertising </p><p>approach focuses on international and regional marketers promoting on </p><p>the pan regional media. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Advertisers on board with BBC came mainly from the corporate, financial </p><p>institution, automobile, airlines and hotel, telecommunications and </p><p>automobile sectors, such as ABB, Airbus, DHL, Diners Club, JP Morgan and </p><p>Shell. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With its transmission hub in Singapore, the BBC's key markets in Asia </p><p>are Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan, and the channel also has strong </p><p>presence in India and Australia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Positioned as an international news network, BBC Worldwide is pursuing </p><p>its global proposition on covering worldwide news and information. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>For local news, Mr Howlett said the coverage should be best done by </p><p>local broadcasters and the BBC's position is to complement the local </p><p>stories with analysis and reporting on a worldwide platform. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Many regional broadcasters are adopting a localised programming strategy </p><p>in a bid to attract viewership and local advertisers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Howlett said BBC has developed certain customisations, such as </p><p>Japanese voiceovers and Chinese subtitling, but the level of </p><p>localisation is not the same as music and documentary channels. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>BBC World now reaches more than 162 million homes in 200 countries with </p><p>24-hour broadcasting to nearly 70 million households. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The London-based news network is available to more than 500,000 hotel </p><p>rooms and selected airports and it is also airing on British Airways, </p><p>Air India, Royal Brunei, Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air, SAS and KLM. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>BBC plans to increase business news programming next year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Howlett pointed out that Asia has a strong business agenda in </p><p>addition to general news programming. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>